APPLE CRANBERRY PIE
ingredients
2
portions Alan’s Pie Pastry (recipe below), or 2 rolled refrigerated piecrusts
6
Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1/2
cup cranberries
2
tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/4
cups sugar
1/4
cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2
teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4
teaspoon ground allspice
1/8
teaspoon salt
1
recipe Pastry Cream (recipe below)
1
egg, beaten
1
tablespoon whipping cream
directions
1.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On a floured surface, roll one pastry portion to a circle 14 inches in diameter. Transfer pastry to a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Trim pastry even with rim of pie plate; cover and set aside. On a floured surface roll remaining pastry to a 12-inch circle; cover and set aside.
2.
In a large bowl combine apples, cranberries and lemon juice. In a small bowl combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, allspice and salt.
3.
Spread bottom of crust with Pastry Cream. Toss apple mixture with dry ingredients; add to pie tin. Immediately add top crust. Trim to 1/2-inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top pastry under bottom pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Cut 4 small openings, so the steam is released. Combine egg and whipping cream; brush liberally on pie. Place pie on a baking sheet.
4.
Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cover edges of pie with foil, if necessary, to prevent overbrowning. Cool on wire rack.
Pastry Cream
ingredients
1
cup milk
1/4
cup sugar
2
egg yolks
3
tablespoons sugar
3
tablespoons cornstarch
1/4
teaspoon salt
2
tablespoons butter
1/2
teaspoon vanilla
directions
In a small saucepan combine milk and 1/4 cup sugar; cook over medium heat just until bubbly on edges. Meanwhile in a medium mixing bowl beat egg yolks, 3 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and salt until combined. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup hot milk mixture; quickly beat in remaining milk mixture. Return to saucepan; cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thick and comes to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Transfer to bowl; cover surface with plastic wrap. Cool. Chill to store.
Pie Pastry
Makes: 10 servings
ingredients
• 3 3/4
cups all-purpose flour
• 1
tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 – 1
tablespoon Kosher salt
• 1/2
teaspoon baking powder
• 1 3/4
cups cold unsalted butter
• 2/3
cup ice-cold water
• 2
tablespoons sour cream
• 1
teaspoon vinegar
directions
In a very large bowl combine flour, sugar, kosher salt, and baking powder. With a pastry blender cut in butter leaving chunks the size of peas. Combine ice-cold water, sour cream, and vinegar. Add liquid all at once to the flour mixture. Quickly stir to distribute; do not overmix. The dough should be slightly crumbly. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. The finished dough should break, not stretch. Divide into three portions; shape into disks. Use at once or wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days. Or freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Makes 10 servings.
I cheat a bit and use refrigerated pie crust. One of these days I’ll master a homemade pie crust.
